Going Viral

 

The new going viral is CoVid and we are shutting this place (the country) down.  The schools have been shutdown and teachers and students are moving to online classes.  The restaurants are shut down, grocery stores have imposed limits and modified hours.  Elections have been postponed.  Several states have moved to a Shelter in place policy with enforcement.  These are strange times indeed.  Gatherings of 10 or more are prohibited and people are being asked to stay at least 6 feet away from each other.  It all feels like the beginning of an Orwellian dystopia.  Our acceptance of the changes comes with a cautiousness and trepidation.  Handshakes, using cash, sharing pens, gas station coffee refills are all a thing of the past.  Watching movies is not only a past time but also a bit cringe worthy as you watch the characters portray so many behaviors that have now become social faux pas in the last month.  We are adapting. Homework has become and online experience but the technology still allows the kids to interact with their friends and work in a small group.  Spending time playing board games and puzzles.  Moving our training online.  The basement furniture has been rearranged to make room for physical activities.  Ella practices her Lacrosse stick work and ball handling and Merrick has video training for Karate, Ella abrupt end to Lacrosse came with solo drills to practice, Sophia and Grace have soccer and B-ball to work on in the yard; once it dries out.  The spring snow melt and rains are keeping the ground soggy but we are still finding some time to get outdoors figuring the woods are, by their nature, perfectly socially distanced.  Merrick and I ran the dogs in the Oconto County Forest and we did a family walk at the Copper Culture State park.  CCSP was a new park for us to explore, it is small and cute and might be a good place to try fishing when the water levels recede.  We also took a short walk to check out Wequiock Falls.  We had been there in the past dry season, but if the water is high we figured it was the best time to watch the falls.

In like a Lamb

We scored an extra day for February this year and luckily for us it fell on a Weekend so we didn't have a longer workweek!  The month is short but we packed plenty in as usual.  It is dance season at school as a prelim to prom and the older two had plenty of fun.  The weather and our schedule cooperated enough for Amy and I to get out for some skiing, and few hikes in the snow as well.  The dogs got shaved and Hazel had to wear a vest to stay warm.  Grace is playing plenty of Bball although she missed two tournaments do to illness and most recently strep.  Ella wrapped up a production of Sweeney Todd in an amazing melodrama, cannibalism aside.  Her story was that she was going to auditions to watch a friend....she left out the part about her also trying out for the play.  When the show is about murder and you are the cop, that is a pretty solid role.  She was a natural and in her element.  March came in like a lamb with a beautiful 50 degree and sunny day.  It put a pounding on the ice and the snow, but the smell of spring and warmth of the sun was evident.